Edward C. Rath

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Edward C. Rath was the first County Executive of Erie County, New York. Following the transition from the Board of Supervisors form for government for Erie County to a county executive form, Rath was elected to the county executive's post. The Rath County Office Building, the home of county government's executive branch is named after him.

Rath is the patriarch of a prominent Western New York political family. His son, the late Edward Rath, Jr., served as a Justice of the New York State Supreme Court and his daughter-in-law, Mary Lou Rath is a state senator and a former minority leader of the Erie County Legislature. His grandson, Edward Rath III has won election with more than a 20% magin of victory for his mother's old seat in the County Legislature and is reported to be looking to higher office in the future.